Resources

Subdivision Staging Policy

Formerly called Growth Policy

New! The Montgomery County Planning Department is kicking off the update to the Subdivision Staging Policy starting in the summer of 2015. The Subdivision Staging Policy is scheduled for the County Council’s review and approval by November 15, 2016. Stay tuned for details about getting involved.

Learn more about the 2016 Subdivision Staging Policy. The 2012 Subdivision Staging Policy introduced a new transportation test to balance the number of trips against the transportation infrastructure – transit, roads and pedestrian/cycling routes. The Transportation Policy Area Review (TPAR) test measures the impacts of development on traffic flow and transit capacity in each of the county’s 30 traffic policy areas. TPAR establishes standards for roadway and transit adequacy and determines which policy areas meet those standards.

The 2012 Growth Policy focused on rethinking how we manage growth, looking at ways to enhance quality of place in our communities. Called Growing Smarter, the report calls for respecting the natural environment in the design of buildings, spaces and streets to create great places with better connections.

Background

The County’s Subdivision Staging Policy is updated every four years and includes criteria and guidance for the timing of development and the provision of adequate public services. The growth policy implements a 1973 law, the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance, which directs development to areas where public services are in place. In 2010, the County Council changed the name from what was formerly called the Growth Policy.

The Planning Board helps ensure basic amenities for both current – and future – residents. The Subdivision Staging Policy presents guidelines that govern where new development takes place, matching growth to the availability of public services like transportation and schools.